August 2011 Archives

Yields from this harvest have been the most variable for a long time across all crops. The moisture retentive soils have produced some sensational yields whilst those on thin or light land have been understandably down on output, although perhaps not as low as anticipated.

Oilseed rape drilling is well underway and seedbeds so far have been very good. A much higher proportion of land is being established by a subsoiler seeder unit with confidence growing year on year with this technique. Pre-emergence herbicides have been applied to moist surfaces and with good seed-beds they should work well. 

Be on the lookout for slug damage as crops emerge and treat with slug pellets where required. It is worth remembering the Metaldehyde Stewardship guidelines, which limit individual doses to 210g/ha of active ingredient, but preferably less than 160g/ha. Also, do not spread metaldehyde slug pellets within six metres of a watercourse.

There will be a mixed response on farms to this week's rain. Those who have finished harvest will be glad of it to help with stubble cultivations, but growers with crops still to cut will not be as happy.

Oilseed rape drilling is proceeding and the rain is very welcome for germination. There are the usual concerns about drilling rape following an application of sulfonylurea or DFF herbicides in the previous crop.

The agrochemical manufacturers advise cultivations and thorough soil mixing to six inches before rape is drilled but many crops are sown without that. Usually we get away with it, but it has been an extremely dry year, residues are likely to be higher than usual. 

At the time of writing harvest has been frustratingly held up by enough rain every 36 hours to prevent it going further. It's been a pretty protracted harvest so far, with an early start but will end up being a late finish.

Yields have ranged from fairly ordinary to outstanding, and are directly proportional, even within a field, to the quality of the soil they are growing on. The exception is winter oilseed rape, having had a fantastic year, albeit with huge varietal differences. So much for blind pods and pollen beetle damage.

Regardless of different crops, if anyone had said back in late May that we would be harvesting even average yields this year we would have happily accepted that.